In June 2006, every eligible business in the town centre was balloted on the proposals to launch the BID. The result saw an endorsement with 60% of businesses responding voting to pay an extra levy to benefit from the additional services. The result meant that all businesses in the BID area had to start paying the levy in April 2007.

As a result of the ballot, Ipswich Central became the town centre's BID company and the UK's 30th. The projects that the BID will be delivering over five years are grouped under six distinct themes:

• Safe and Secure - This project will deliver a powerful array of measures to reduce crime and make business more profitable, including street rangers and a safer business crime co-ordinator.

• Clean and Bright - Presentation and appeal will be dramatically improved through additional cleaning regimes, delivered by third party contractors, but supervised by BID staff.

• Out and About - Negative perceptions of Ipswich town centre will be addressed to persuade more people to travel to Ipswich and then to stay longer by encouraging them to discover new areas.

• Target and Tell - High profile marketing campaigns will be targeted at bringing more people into Ipswich from a wider area, increasing market share and available spend.

• Look and Feel - This project will focus on ambience within the town centre, providing new planting schemes, lighting, an improved street market and more.

• Aims and Ambitions - The Ipswich BID will work up capital projects which, with additional funding, can increase the appeal of the town centre regionally and nationally.

Existing services provided by Ipswich Borough Council, Suffolk County Council and the Police continue as currently. Ipswich Central delivers only additional services, those not available because of insufficient resources, yet seen as imperative by those businesses ballotted.

Between April 2007 and March 2012 Ipswich Central will spend £3,200,000 in the BID area to create an improved town centre experience for businesses, their staff and their customers.

To download a copy of the Ipswich BID Business Plan please click on the PDF below.

To download a copy of the BID Prospectus please click on the PDF below.

To download a copy of the BID first 6 month Audit please click on the PDF below.

For more information on town centre management please visit www.atcm.org, if you would like more information on BIDs across the UK then please visit www.ukbids.org